Me Check'um for Bear.

[1eyefishing]

I spent the past couple of days in the big hills looking for bear sign and a hot spot to hunt next weekend.
For the most part, I found that the acorns and climbing sign (broken tree limbs in the trees, green branches on the ground and scratch marks up the tree trunks) were scarce. I did notice lots of dug out yellow jackets nests, which I figure are more numerous because of the lack of acorns. Most of those we're still very active with mad yellow jackets. I'm guessing that is a sign that they are fairly fresh; definitely not last year's...
I did find some scattered acorns at a couple of different spots around 2000-2200 feet. One of the spots was definitely showing chewing sign with a lot of chewed-up husks and fresh broken acorn tops on the ground. The trees above those still showed no signs of climbing that I could see, but I have to believe the bears were in the air because the acorns aren't falling yet and most of those on the ground were chewed.

From the truck, I knew I was in a good area when I saw this!


The spot with the chewed-up acorns had scat around that was both older and fresh.


Today, I went back to the same area to see if I could make my way down the other side of the mountain in order to have two possible routes of entry. On my way down, I found this about a hundred yards up in the woods from the other Road and a couple of campsites there.
What could have happened here?
Somebody is missing their Country Crock butter...

Even though the sign was fairly sparse, I have two or three areas picked out to hunt and one then I will definitely try first, and hope to be the first one on that hill!
Looking forward to next weekend! I'll have to keep it to a 2-day hunt as I have a doctor's appointment on Monday. ?

 

[Cwb19]

That's a pretty good sign ones in the area

 

[1eyefishing]

? The sign on the paved road by those bear tracks said, "Fine for Hunting". I thought so too, because my 300 Weatherby has nearly 1/4 mile shot up to the next curve.
But I was disappointed when I looked up there past the curve, the next sign said, "Bear Left". ?

 

[Miguel Cervantes]

I believe you've done cornered you a Yogi.

 

[1eyefishing]

I believe you've done cornered you a Yogi.

I don't expect it will be real easy. So far I've just found Winnie's poo.

 

[tree cutter 08]

Hard to tell for sure in the pics but looks like fuzzy has been in the blackgums. Look for some of those trees next time you go. Had 3 different bear on camera over a blackgum last week. One would have went 300 plus. Good luck next weekend!

 

[twincedargap]

Nice report thanks for sharing. Enjoyed the pics and update.

 

[Mr Bya Lungshot]

? The sign on the paved road by those bear tracks said, "Fine for Hunting". I thought so too, because my 300 Weatherby has nearly 1/4 mile shot up to the next curve.
But I was disappointed when I looked up there past the curve, the next sign said, "Bear Left". ?

 

[Killer Kyle]

Cutter....Riverbank Grapes "Vitus nigra" are also ripe right now. I saw some feeding signs on the black gums just a couple days ago. Looks like the white oaks are going to be extremely scarce this fall and it is going to be a red oak game. Early on, I wouldn't rule out something like good soft mast.

1eye....looks like you are hunting my neck of the woods from the pictures you posted. Next time you're there, look for my boot tracks. Vibram brand logger boot type tracks. You'll see them eventually. Better sling an arrow before I do!

 

[1eyefishing]

Which one of y'all has a red truck with the ladder rack full of ladders in a sign that says 'gutter cleaning'?
I was aiming the park in his tracks until I rounded the curve and he was there. Had to go on down the road a ways...

 

[Buckman18]

You’ll see the tracks of The Killer Kyle but you’ll never see him, unless he lets you. That’s how good he is.

 

[gobbleinwoods]

Which one of y'all has a red truck with the ladder rack full of ladders in a sign that says 'gutter cleaning'?
I was aiming the park in his tracks until I rounded the curve and he was there. Had to go on down the road a ways...

Are you sure the sign on the truck didn't say gut'er cleaner?

Best of luck next weekend.

 

[Miguel Cervantes]

I don't expect it will be real easy. So far I've just found Winnie's poo.

Was Winnie checkin for bees?

 

[Killer Kyle]

You’ll see the tracks of The Killer Kyle but you’ll never see him, unless he lets you. That’s how good he is.

These hills have eyes!!!

 

[1eyefishing]

Kyle, are you in Union County? I went to send you a PM and your info said Banks County. The tracks on the road were on Liberty Church Road, just off of Town Creek School Road. Behind my friends house who owns the Misty Mountain Cabins just down the road where I stay. They are trying to obtain permission for me to hunt that nuisance bear that keeps hitting their trash. There's a tiny little block of woods behind their house that he comes out of on a regular basis. Don't really know if I want to lock myself down on such a tiny spot, but they would appreciate it.
If that's your area, we need to have us a Union County BF get together similar to our PF get-togethers down here in the Burbs. I had lunch yesterday with TwinCedarGap and I've been talking with pig predator also about hooking up for lunch. Already had lunch with JBoggs...The Country Kitchen is pretty awesome!, but I'm sure there are plenty of good options.
Looking forward to a great season and meeting some of you guys...
Good luck to all this year.

 

[gobbleinwoods]

Yep there are bears in that area.

 

[jbogg]

Kyle, are you in Union County? I went to send you a PM and your info said Banks County. The tracks on the road were on Liberty Church Road, just off of Town Creek School Road. Behind my friends house who owns the Misty Mountain Cabins just down the road where I stay. They are trying to obtain permission for me to hunt that nuisance bear that keeps hitting their trash. There's a tiny little block of woods behind their house that he comes out of on a regular basis. Don't really know if I want to lock myself down on such a tiny spot, but they would appreciate it.
If that's your area, we need to have us a Union County BF get together similar to our PF get-togethers down here in the Burbs. I had lunch yesterday with TwinCedarGap and I've been talking with pig predator also about hooking up for lunch. Already had lunch with JBoggs...The Country Kitchen is pretty awesome!, but I'm sure there are plenty of good options.
Looking forward to a great season and meeting some of you guys...
Good luck to all this year.

I plan on hunting Saturday through Tuesday opening weekend. I refuse to drag a critter more than 10’, but if any of you guys need help tracking, skinning/quartering or packing out hit me up on my cell. Happy to help.

 

[1eyefishing]

It seems that in most places I hunt, I can rarely even get a text to go through, much less a phone call. I did get lucky a few times this week up near the AT. I will definitely try the phone a friend method, but may have to rely on the old technology (hoofing it out myself) in the end!
I have been researching the DeLorme spot locator and inreach satellite communicator. They are fairly expensive and would come in handy in an emergency because you can contact someone (even SAR), but I'm not sure if you could contact unit to unit in areas of no cell service.
there are also sets of walkie talkies that shows where the other unit is on GPS, but I'm not sure about their range.
I did recently purchase top of the line Midland radios for partner to partner use, but still haven't tested their effectiveness in the big hills.

 

[jbogg]

It seems that in most places I hunt, I can rarely even get a text to go through, much less a phone call. I did get lucky a few times this week up near the AT. I will definitely try the phone a friend method, but may have to rely on the old technology (hoofing it out myself) in the end!
I have been researching the DeLorme spot locator and inreach satellite communicator. They are fairly expensive and would come in handy in an emergency because you can contact someone (even SAR), but I'm not sure if you could contact unit to unit in areas of no cell service.
there are also sets of walkie talkies that shows where the other unit is on GPS, but I'm not sure about their range.
I did recently purchase top of the line Midland radios for partner to partner use, but still haven't tested their effectiveness in the big hills.

My cell service is spotty at best up there as well. Let men know how the Midland radios work out. I purchased a couple of their entry level radios on camofire a couple of years ago but returned them since the range was very limited around the neighborhood. The top of the line ones definitely had much better reviews. Buy once, cry once. I am so cheap I have to keep relearning this lesson.

 

[1eyefishing]

My cell service is spotty at best up there as well. Let men know how the Midland radios work out. I purchased a couple of their entry level radios on camofire a couple of years ago but returned them since the range was very limited around the neighborhood. The top of the line ones definitely had much better reviews. Buy once, cry once. I am so cheap I have to keep relearning this lesson.

I got about 2 miles out of them in my neighborhood. My wife was inside the house and I was inside my truck. I got out of range before I could ask her to come outside the house while I got outside of my truck, so did not get any further testing done than that. I think they will probably be workable for two partners who hunt from the same excess point, but they are definitely not going to do the 38 miles that they are rated for for direct line of sight communication.